


Forever

by sanctuary_for_all



Series: Around Every Corner [3]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Feels, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-08 08:08:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13454040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: Jack isn’t worried that his relationships with women don’t last. After all, he’s already found his forever.  (Post-ep for 2X14)





	Forever

“So you’re completely okay with the fact that she robbed you,” Mac repeated, expression indignant as he and Jack walked down the Phoenix Foundation’s hallway together. “You saved her life, helped her get a legitimate job, and yet you’re _completely_ fine that she just walked off with your stuff. That’s _insane_.”

“She didn’t take my dad’s dog tags,” Jack said absently, watching Mac’s hands. He’d apparently reconfigured his bandages at some point, giving him more mobility, and Jack was torn between sheer admiration for Mac’s brain and ache over how he’d gotten the burns in the first place. “It’s annoying being without my TV, but I can afford a new one. I might even upgrade.”

Mac made a frustrated noise. “That’s not the point! The point is that you should be upset about this, and for some strange reasons you’re not!”

Jack shrugged, not sure how to explain. The people who he slept with just didn’t matter much in the long run. As long as he didn’t break anyone’s heart, it was barely a blip on the list of things Jack worried about. “We had fun.”

Mac narrowed his eyes at him, grabbing Jack’s arm and making him turn around to face him. “You deserve a relationship that’s more than just ‘fun,’ Jack. You keep flirting with these women who you know are going to blow up in your face, because that way you can be sure it’ll never get far enough to compete with Sarah.”

Jack felt a jab of something, deep in his chest. Mac was _almost_ right. “Sarah gave me the chance to stop her wedding,” he said quietly, knowing Mac needed an explanation if he was ever going to let this go.

Mac looked like he was about to argue for a split second, then went still. In his eyes, Jack could see him putting the pieces together, and after a moment he let out a breath. “That’s why she was looking at you during the ceremony,” he said quietly. When he focused on Jack again, his expression was gentle. “Why didn’t you?”

Jack’s throat tightened as memory rose up. He’d thought about it, long and hard, but it wouldn’t have been fair to Sarah. “You can’t break up a marriage, even if it hasn’t started yet, unless you’re willing to be that person’s forever. I wasn’t.”

Mac hesitated, something soft and sad in his eyes. “You’re—“ He stopped himself, trying again. “You’d be great at being someone’s forever, Jack. Just because it went wrong once doesn’t mean it would again.”

Jack bit back a dozen different responses that sprang up, all of them as dangerous as hell and nothing he had any right to say. “You should probably leave this one alone, man,” he said quietly.

That just added stubbornness to Mac’s sympathy, along with what looked like a flash of hurt. “Then you should talk to _somebody_ , even if it’s not me. Sarah’s not worth you wrecking the rest of your life over.”

This time, the jab inside him was definitely pain, but at least some of the hurt was the good kind. No one had ever fought for him the way Mac did, but that also meant there was no way he was going to let this go. “I promise you, Mac. She’s not the reason I don’t look for a long-term relationship. I just…” He took a deep breath. “I’ve already got my forever. It’s not fair to let some woman think I have that to give.”

Mac’s eyes narrowed again. “If she cared about you enough, you could work around the job. And maybe if you talked to Matty—“

“Mac.” Jack swallowed, voice rough. It wasn’t even a secret, really – he was sure he’d been obvious enough that plenty of people had figured it out – but he’d held his breath for years hoping Mac never would. “The job’s not the reason I’m in L.A. It never has been.”

Mac’s brow lowered, confused, and Jack prayed to a god he hadn’t believed in for years that he wouldn’t have to explain more than that. Then something must have clicked, because the shock slowly flooded Mac’s face. He froze, like his big brain couldn’t even process what was happening, and Jack made himself breathe past a pain worse than any beating had ever given him.

Gently, carefully, he peeled Mac’s bandaged fingers away from his arm. “So I think the real takeaway here is that there’s nothing to worry about.” He tried to keep his tone light, but his throat still sounded like someone had taken a sandblaster to it. “We’ll just keep going on exactly like we have been, and the women of L.A. will be spared my incredible charms on a long-term basis. It’s not like any of them have a chance of competing, anyway.” He was babbling, he knew, but if he stopped talking then Mac might start. “No one on any dating app I’ve ever found would set up a whole homecoming king thing for me just because I didn’t get it in high school. Hell, I’m pretty sure no one I’ve ever _met_ would come up with an idea like that. So really, everything’s great.”

He turned, not able to stand waiting for Mac’s face to change anymore, and started to beat a hasty retreat down the hallway. He’d only made it a few steps, however, before Mac’s scratchy voice broke through the silence. “They’d have to love you a lot to do something like that.”

Jack made it another few steps before the words really registered, and this time it was his turn to freeze in place. Slowly, he turned around to stare at Mac, who was looking at him with his whole heart in his eyes.

Jack made himself inhale, wondering if he was having a heart attack. If he was, the hell of it was that he didn’t want it to stop.

Whatever Mac saw in Jack’s face must have given him courage, because some of the fragility disappeared from his expression as he held up his hands. “I couldn’t think. You were _dying_ , right in front of me, and I grabbed the coffin because my brain refused to work well enough to come up with another idea.” He let out a breath. “It works just fine when _I’m_ dying, but you….” He shook his head. “You matter too much.”

Jack swiped a hand across suddenly wet eyes. His chest felt so full he was amazed there was any room for air in these. “Then what about the—”

“—whole push to get you into a relationship?” Mac made a helpless gesture. “I want you to be happy, Jack, and there’s only so much I can build. I didn’t know what else to do.”

Slowly, deliberately, Jack crossed the space between them until he was standing directly in front of Mac. “The _only_ thing I need to be happy, _ever_ , is standing right in front of me,” he said quietly, voice firm. “Don’t _ever_ forget that.”

He didn’t know which of them moved first, and once their lips met all thinking ceased entirely. There was only Mac, tasting of coffee and dreams Jack thought were beyond him, a warmth that Jack could spend the rest of his life falling into and never have to worry about hitting bottom. Mac’s hands were on his face, so gentle, and Jack let his own fingers curl in Mac’s shirt and hold on tight to the best thing he’d ever had.

When they broke apart, Mac’s grin was as bright as sunlight. “You’re my forever, too, you know.”

Jack grinned back, feeling like that same light was inside him. Before he could say anything, however, he heard someone clear their throat behind him.

They both turned to see Riley and Bozer standing in the hallway, beaming at them both in obvious pleasure and approval. Jill was there as well, mouth hanging open in equally obvious shock, and Jack took some comfort in the fact that not everyone had figured him out.

Seeing that she had their attention, Riley gestured to the conference room behind them. “I genuinely hate to break up the love fest, but Matty wants us.”

“Though we could maybe stall her a minute or two, if you’ve got a few more confessions you two are dying to get out,” Bozer added.

Jill’s mouth snapped closed as she looked over at the two of them. “Seriously? Neither of you are surprised?”

Jack looked back at Mac, who raised an eyebrow with that teasing look he loved so much. “So what you do think?” he asked. “Want Bozer to give us a few more minutes?”

Jack laughed, letting go of Mac only long enough to sling an arm around his shoulders. “No need,” he said happily. “We’ve got the rest of our lives.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my [original fiction,](https://jennifferwardell.wixsite.com/mybooks) my [blog,](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


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